Gaaaagh I need to go Hiking

We've been so dang hot! Here is a one-take version of Ka Pua U'i. During verse one I felt really weird looking into the screen and watching my hands with a fraction delay, it kind of threw me off. Then on verse 3 I had to look at the words because I don't have them down, and even with reading them, I goofed them up!!

The little ending I decided to tag on at the last moment, and do not have it quick and smooth yet.

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The Hot State

For my friends in Portland... damn you!  Raw and uncut, my first 'original' at  bambiloo's suggestion. "I did my best, I have no regrets. I have no professional training in singing or dancing." -- that dorky guy William Hung and ME!

Temporary Post

This is the family quick version of Rabbit in the Pea Patch. It was the first tune I picked out when I began playing the mandolin. I heard my dad play it, who probably heard his older family members play it. He started playing when he was 4. My cafe avatar is the back side of his little Holdrio Piccolo mandolin his folks got him at a pawn shop.

I shot this quickly in iPhoto, so I'm mirrored -- I'm really right-handed!

Loretta, I looked through some SAW threads and Marcelyn had some suggested tunes for future polls, including Rabbit in the Pea Patch. I PMd her about it, she sent me the ABC of a version she had found plus a couple of youtube links. They are different from my little ditty tune, which I play just one time through here.

First Audio Post

Today is Sunday, May 15, and I just had my Apple lesson where I learned what to do with my GarageBand and Zoom H2 audio files to put them in email or in the blog. Now I have to hone my GarageBand skills, after I improve my playing skills. The link below was put here during my lesson at the Apple store this morning.

This link takes you out of here and to a whole different site

My recent lesson

Here is one of my renditions, so Loretta, let me know when you have seen it so I can preserve a bit of dignity and take it down. Thank you.

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Robin Babies

The robins are growing, and their parents are a a bit more protective. Today one of them chased me to the patio and came closer to my head.

 Filling out the nest just a little more

 The fly was the only other interesting thing I saw

The prince himself

Beak-A-Poo!

I last took pics of the robin babies on Saturday. It rained and rained most of yesterday and a great deal of today, but was not raining when I got home from work. I trotted out and nabbed a few more shots, much to the dismay of the parents. Wow, they can get LOUD!

Due to the overwhelming demand from my legions of readers, I've decided to take pics every chance I get and document their growth here.

Mama Sentry is chasing me back further with each passing day. She now follows and 'fake dives' at me about half-way across the yard 

 Beak-A-Poo! (Yes, I know I'm quite clever. Thank you.)

Eyes closed on Saturday, two days ago 

Bright eyed and bushy tailed today!

Robin and a Battle

A couple of weeks ago I noted a new bird nest on the top of fence pickets leaning against the side of the house just inside the turtle compound. Last Sunday I stretched my arm up and pointed the lens downward and snapped, to the best of my ability, the inside of the nest. I did it again 3 days later, then 3 days later again which is today.

Each time I go near the area the robin parents begin a frenzy, so I try to avoid disturbing them. When I do, they get in a low branch of my neighbor's tree or on the fence and yell at me.

 A few inches above the wood you can just see the mama's head and beak peaking out

 On Sunday the camera didn't find anything apparent in the nest. I couldn't see what I was doing, I just stuck my arm straight up and pointed down

 Poor mama doesn't like me, and I can't blame her

 Obviously there were eggs in the nest the camera didn't see, because 3 days later there are new hatchlings in there. I had no precise control over the focus

And today, 3 days later again, the babies have really grown! There are 3 turtles living at the foot of the posts, so if a baby makes one little mistake...

The next part is for my mandolin-playing friend. I did manage to record and make a little video, with tips, of last week's SAW tune. I don't know if I will get it posted there, because that just seems like too much work. This is my first "movie" after having my onetoone Apple lesson a week ago. The trainer was fantastic.

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